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nted by M to represent the munity。 In a way； Bond argued to himself； these men were as much enemies of his country as were the agents of SMERSH or of other enemy Secret Services。 They had declared and waged war against British people on British soil and they were currently planning another attack。 Bond's mind hunted round for more arguments to bolster his resolve。 They had killed the girl's pony and her dog with two casual sideswipes of the hand as if they had been flies。 They 。 。 。
A burst of automatic fire from the valley brought Bond to his feet。 His rifle was up and taking aim as the second burst came。 The harsh racket of noise was followed by laughter and hand…clapping。 The kingfisher； a handful of tattered blue and grey feathers； thudded to the lawn and lay fluttering。 Von Hammerstein； smoke still dribbling from the snout of his tommy…gun； walked a few steps and put the heel of his naked foot down and pivoted sharply。 He took his heel away and wiped it on the grass beside the heap of feathers。 The others stood round； laughing and applauding obsequiously。 Von Hammerstein's red lips grinned with pleasure。 He said something which included the word 'crackshot'。 He handed the gun to one of the gunmen and wiped his hands down his fat backsides。 He gave a sharp order to the two girls； who ran off into the house； then； with the others following； he turned and ambled down the sloping lawn towards the lake。 Now the girls came running back out of the house。 Each one carried an empty champagne bottle。 Chattering and laughing they skipped down after the men。
Bond got himself ready。 He clipped the telescopic sight on to the barrel of the Savage and took his stance against the trunk of the tree。 He found a bump in the wood as a rest for his left hand； put his sights at 300； and took broad aim at the group of people by the lake。 Then； holding the rifle loosely； he leaned against the trunk and watched the scene。
It was going to be some kind of a shooting contest between the two gunmen。 They snapped fresh magazines on to their guns and at Gonzales's orders stationed themselves on the flat stone wall of the dam some twenty feet apart on either side of the diving…board。 They stood with their backs to the lake and their guns at the ready。
Von Hammerstein took up his place on the grass verge； a champagne bottle swinging in each hand。 The girls stood behind him； their hands over their ears。 There was excited jabbering in Spanish； and laughter in which the two gunmen did not join。 Through the telescopic sight their faces looked sharp with concentration。
Von Hammerstein barked an order and there was silence。 He swung both arms back and counted 〃Un 。 。 。 Dos 。 。 。 Tres。〃 With the 'tres' he hurled the champagne bottles high into the air over the lake。
The two men turned like marionettes； the guns clamped to their hips。 As they pleted the turn they fired。 The thunder of the guns split the peaceful scene and racketed up from the water。 Birds fled away from the trees screeching and some small branches cut by the bullets pattered down into the lake。 The left…hand bottle disintegrated into dust； the right…hand one； hit by only a single bullet； split in two a fraction of a second later。 The fragments of glass made small splashes over the middle of the lake。 The gunman on the left had won。 The smoke…clouds over the two of them joined and drifted away over the lawn。 The echoes boomed softly into silence。 The two gunmen walked along the wall to the grass； the rear one looking sullen； the leading one with a sly grin on his face。 Von Hammerstein beckoned the two girls forward。 They came reluctantly； dragging their feet and pouting。 Von Hammerstein said something； asked a question of the winner。 The man nodded at the girl on the left。 She looked sullenly back at him。 Gonzales and Hammerstein laughed。 Hammerstein reached out and patted the girl on the rump as if she had been a cow。 He said something in which Bond caught the words 'una noche'。 The girl looked up at him and nodded obediently。 The group broke up。 The prize girl took a quick run and dived into the lake； perhaps to get away from the man who had won her favours； and the other girl followed her。 They swam away across the lake calling angrily to each other。 Major Gonzales took off his coat and laid it on the grass and sat down on it。 He was wearing a shoulder holster which showed the butt of a medium…calibre automatic。 He watched von Hammerstein take off his watch and walk along the dam wall to the diving…board。 The gunmen stood back from the lake and also watched von Hammerstein and the two girls； who were now out in the middle of the little lake and were making for the far shore。 The gunmen stood with their guns cradled in their arms and occasionally one of them would glance round the garden or towards the house。 Bond thought there was every reason why von Hammerstein had managed to stay alive so long。 He was a man who took trouble to do so。
Von Hammerstein had reached the diving…board。 He walked along to the end and stood looking down at the water。 Bond tensed himself and put up the safe。 His eyes were fierce slits。 It would be any minute now。 His finger itched on the trigger…guard。 What in hell was the girl waiting for？
Von Hammerstein had made up his mind。 He flexed his knees slightly。 The arms came back。 Through the telescopic sight Bond could see the thick hair over his shoulder blades tremble in a breeze that came to give a quick shiver to the surface of the lake。 Now his arms were ing forward and there was a fraction of a second when his feet had left the board and he was still almost upright。 In that fraction of a second there was a flash of silver against his back and then von Hammerstein's body hit the water in a neat dive。
Gonzales was on his feet； looking uncertainly at the turbulence caused by the dive。 His mouth was open； waiting。 He did not know if he had seen something or not。 The two gunmen were more certain。 They had their guns at the ready。 They crouched； looking from Gonzales to the trees behind the dam； waiting for an order。
Slowly the turbulence subsided and the ripples spread across the lake。 The dive had gone deep。
Bond's mouth was dry。 He licked his lips； searching the lake with his glass。 There was a pink shimmer deep down。 It wobbled slowly up。 Von Hammerstein's body broke the surface。 It lay head down； wallowing softly。 A foot or so of steel shaft stuck up from below the left shoulder blade and the sun winked on the aluminium feathers。
Major Gonzales yelled an order and the two tommy…guns roared and flamed。 Bond could hear the crash of the bullets among the trees below him。 The Savage shuddered against his shoulder and the right…hand man fell slowly forward on his face。 Now the other man was running for the lake； his gun still firing from the hip in short bursts。 Bond fired and missed and fired again。 The man's legs buckled； but his momentum still carried him forward。 He crashed into the water。 The clenched finger went on firing the gun aimlessly up towards the blue sky until the water throttled the mechanism。
The seconds wasted on the extra shot had given Major Gonzales a chance。 He had got behind the body of the first gunman and now he